Corner construction and back up bracket therefor

ABSTRACT

A corner construction of wall panels which makes use of a back up bracket having a flat body portion, inner and outer flanged members extending perpendicularly from the body portion and spaced one from the other by an amount corresponding to the thickness of the wall panel and means for securing the body portion to a corner stud and in which the corner construction comprises a corner stud and means fastening the body portion of the bracket to the stud with one wall panel disposed in fitting relationship between the flanged members and a second wall panel extending perpendicularly therefrom with one edge in abutting relationship with the inner flanged portion and the face in abutting relationship with the opposite side of the body portion with means for securing the second wall panel to the stud.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,881,293

Conville 1 May 6, 1975 [54] CORNER CONSTRUCTION AND BACK UP 3,210,898 10/1965 Kurtz 52/285 BRACKET THEREFOR 3,222,836 12/1965 Collins 52/285 3,308,590 3/1967 Ettove 52/285 Inventor: J Conville, 13515 Oval 3,323,264 6/1967 Cross 52/281 Largo, Fla. 33540 3,688,459 9/1972 Mattix 52/285 [22] Filed: Aug. 15, 1974 Primary Exammerl-1enry C. Sutherland [21] Appl. No.: 497,580

Related US. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 322,410, Jan. 10, 1973, abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 103,298, Dec, 31, 1970, abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 776,578, Nov, 18, 1968, abandoned.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1940 Wilhoyte 52/285 2/1962 Siering 52/363 6/1962 Butler 52/241 8/1964 Balanski 52/715 [57] ABSTRACT A comer construction of wall panels which makes use of a back up bracket having a flat body portion, inner and outer flanged members extending perpendicularly from the body portion and spaced one from the other by an amount corresponding to the thickness of the wall panel and means for securing the body portion to a corner stud and in which the corner construction comprises a corner stud and means fastening the body portion of the bracket to the stud with one wall panel disposed in fitting relationship between the flanged members and a second wall panel extending perpendicularly therefrom with one edge in abutting relationship with the inner flanged portion and the face in abutting relationship with the opposite side of the body portion with means for securing the second wall panel to the stud.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures CORNER CONSTRUCTION AND BACK UP BRACKET THEREFOR This is a continuation of my copending application Ser. No. 322,410 filed Jan. 10, 1973 which was a continuation of Ser. No. 103,298, filed Dec. 31, 1970, titled Comer Construction and Back Up Bracket Therefor", which was a continuation of my then copending application Ser. No. 776,578, filed Nov. 18, 1968 all of the aforesaid applications precedent to the instant application having now been abandoned.

This invention relates to a back up clip adapted for use as a structural element in attachment of wall board, such as gypsum board, to framing members in corner constructions.

In the construction of corners in rooms, normally three studs are required with the wall board or gypsum board nailed to the studs. Similarly, in ceiling construction for room separators, back up boards are required at the ceiling line for attachment thereto of the ceiling panels or materials.

It is an object of this invention to provide a back up clip or bracket which can be used to effect a corner construction whereby two of the three studs can be eliminated without loss of structural strength at the corner and with material reduction in material cost and marked savings in labor and with improved interengagement between the structural elements or panels making up the room corner.

It is another object of this invention to provide a clip or bracket of the type described which can also be used in ceiling construction to eliminate the need for back up boards thereby materially to improve and simplify ceiling construction, markedly to reduce construction costs and importantly to improve the assembly of elements.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 is a perspective elevational view of a clip or bracket embodying the features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective elevational view, partially in section, showing the clip of FIG. 1 in a room corner construction; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view of a part of a ceiling construction embodying the back up clips shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, the back up clip or bracket of the invention comprises a member having a flat body portion of substantial lengthwise and crosswise dimension, an integral flanged portion 12 extending substantially perpendicularly from the inner edge 14 of the body portion and an entrant portion 16 extending from the outer free edge of the flanged portion 12 at a slight angle away from the body portion.

The body portion 10 is formed with one or more openings 18 adjacent the outer edge 20. An intermediate portion is struck from the body portion and bent along the inner edge 22 to extend perpendicularly therefrom to provide a flange 24 which extends in substantially the same direction in parallel relation with the flanged portion 12.

The flanged portion 12 has spring fingers 26 struck from the outer sections thereof and bent along their outer edges to extend inwardly from the face of the flange in the manner of inwardly extending spring clips 26.

The parallel flanged portions 12 and 24 are spaced one from the other by an amount corresponding to the thickness of the wall panel adapted to be received in fitting relationship therebetween.

The back up clip can be formed of a single sheet of metal bent perpendicularly along an intermediate portion thereof to define a body portion 10 of rectangular shape and a flanged portion 12 of rectangular shape with the outer portion of the flange 12 being bent further outwardly to provide the entrant portion 16 while the inner flange 24 and the spring clips 26 are struck from the respective body and flanged portions. Instead of forming the back up clip out of sheet metal, the clip can be molded to the described shape of plastic material or the like.

Instead of forming the elements to rectangular shape, the body portion 10 and the flanged portion 24 can be of other shape, such as polygonal, elliptical or rounded, but with the meeting edges of the flanged and body portions extending along a straight line.

In FIG. 2 of the drawing, illustration is made of the view of the bracket in the construction of a vertical corner section of a room in which use is required of only a single stud 101, such as a 2 X 4 which extends vertically substantially throughout the height of the room. In use, the bracket is first secured onto a lateral edge of a section of wall board 103, such as a sheet of gypsum board having a gypsum core laminated between facing sheets. The thickness of the board corresponds to the spaced relationship between the flanged members l2 and 24 so that the bracket can be fixed onto the edge of the sheet merely by pressing the bracket for displacement of the edge portion of the sheet between the flanged members. The bracket will be retained in position on the edge of the sheet by reason of the gripping relationship established .between the flanged members 12 and 24 with a portion of the sheet disposed therebetween. Removal of the bracket from its position of use is resisted by the spring clips 26 which bite into the adjacent face of the sheet to militate against retraction. Thus one or more of the brackets can be pre-assembled onto vertically spaced apart portions of the edge of the panel 103.

Thereafter, fastening means such as screws or nails 104 can be driven through the body portion 10 into the stud 101 with the body portion flush with the face of the stud and the sheet of wall board 103 attached thereto. It will be understood that one or more brackets can first be nailed or screwed to the stud after which the sheet of wall board is inserted between the flanged members to effect the desired assembly, but it is preferred to follow the procedure previously described, otherwise it becomes necessary exactly vertically to align the brackets on the stud.

The abutting partition, in the form of another sheet of wall board 105, is thereafter secured in position of use to form the corner section with the panel 103. This is accomplished by bringing the edge of the partitioning panel 105 into abutting relationship with the outer side of the inner flange 24 with the face of the sheet 105 flush with the body portion 10 of the bracket. Thus the bracket guides the proper positioning of the partitioning panel 105 which is thereafter fixed in the assembled relationship by fastening means, such as screws or nails 106 driven through the sheet of wall board 105 into the portion of the stud 101 beyond the body portion of the bracket and/or through the portion of the stud exposed through the opening from which the inner flanged portion 24 is struck.

In FIG. 3, illustration is made of the use of the bracket of this invention in the assembly of panels in a ceiling structure. The conventional ceiling joists are illustrated by the numerals 109 and 110. For assembly of partitioning walls, use is again made of but a single stud 101 with the brackets being used to fix horizontally disposed ceiling panels to the studs in their assembled relationship. For this purpose, the brackets are again forceably displaced onto the edges of ceiling panels 111 and 112 securely to position the brackets onto the panel edges. Thereafter the brackets are screwed or nailed onto the opposite side walls of the stud 101, as previously described, to fix the ceiling panels 111 and 112 to the stud 101 in the desired assembled relation. The ceiling panels are positioned, as by means of screws or nails 113, onto the lower edge of the joists to secure the panels in position of use with the stud 101 fixed to the edges thereof. As illustrated in the drawing, the panels are secured to the brackets in a manner to extend outwardly from the opposite edges of the stud 101 for attachment to the joists.

Thereafter, the brackets operate to guide the vertical partitioning panels 114 into position of use by first bringing the upper edges of the panels into engagement with the inner flanged portion 24 and the driving screws or nails laterally through the partitioning panels 114 into the stud to effect the assembled relation.

It will be apparent that the brackets operate properly to position the vertical partitioning panels on the stud from which the partitioning panels can be allowed to hang until the side wall panels are installed. Unlike prior construction wherein the partitioning panels are applied first to the stud, whereby a small gap often forms at the ceiling line to enable the ceiling material to dip at the wall intersection, the brackets embodying the features of this invention operate to support the ceiling panels independently of the side wall panels thereby completely to avoid such deficiencies encountered in prior construction.

It will be understood that for most effective use of spring clips 26, it is desirable to space the flanged members l2 and 24 to require a fleximg action therebetween in response to the insertion of a wall panel edge portion therebetween. Thus the panel is gripped between the flanges and it enables the spring clips to bite into the adjacent wall to militate against retrograde movement or inadvertent disengagement.

It will be apparent that the bracket is capable of other uses in the assembly of panels in corner constructions. The brackets of this invention provide for proper alignment of the panel members with positive positioning of the panel members in position of use with a minimum number of supports and with a minimum amount of labor.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement and operation without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A back-up clip for corner construction of wall panels consisting of a single piece of sheet material having 1. a flat body portion dimensioned to have a length greater than the thickness of the wall panels;

2. a first flanged member extending substantially perpendicularly from one edge of the body portion;

3. a second flanged member struck-out from and extending continuously substantially perpendicularly from an intermediate portion of the flat body portion in the same direction as the first flanged member and in substantially parallel relation therewith, and spaced therefrom by an amount corresponding to the thickness of a first panel for receiving an edge portion of the first panel therebetween;

4. said second flanged member terminating in a free edge, the dimension of said second flange member between said flat body portion and said free edge corresponding to the thickness of a second panel so that when a second panel is positioned parallel to and in abutting relation with the body member and with the edge of the second panel abutting the second flanged portion, the latter will be substantially concealed by the second panel while the edge of the second panel is in abutting relationship with the second flanged member substantially throughout its width;

. the first flanged member having its free outer edge portion inclined at a slight angle in the direction away from the second flanged member to provide an entrant portion for the first panel into the space between the first and second flanged members; and

6. spring members struck from the first flanged portion adjacent the inclined portion and extending angularly inwardly into the space between the first and second flanged members and in a direction towards the second flanged member and the body portion to prevent retraction movements between the first panel and clip once the first panel has cleared the spring fingers during movement into the space between the first and second flanged members.

2. A back up clip as claimed in claim 1 in which openings are provided in the body portion beyond the second flanged member for fastening the clip to the panel when positioned alongside the body portion with the edge abutting the second flanged member. 

1. A back-up clip for corner construction of wall panels consisting of a single piece of sheet material having
 1. a flat body portion dimensioned to have a length greater than the thickness of the wall panels;
 2. a first flanged member extending substantially perpendicularly from one edge of the body portion;
 3. a second flanged member struck-out from and extending continuously substantially perpendicularly from an intermediate portion of the flat body portion in the same direction as tHe first flanged member and in substantially parallel relation therewith, and spaced therefrom by an amount corresponding to the thickness of a first panel for receiving an edge portion of the first panel therebetween;
 4. said second flanged member terminating in a free edge, the dimension of said second flange member between said flat body portion and said free edge corresponding to the thickness of a second panel so that when a second panel is positioned parallel to and in abutting relation with the body member and with the edge of the second panel abutting the second flanged portion, the latter will be substantially concealed by the second panel while the edge of the second panel is in abutting relationship with the second flanged member substantially throughout its width;
 5. the first flanged member having its free outer edge portion inclined at a slight angle in the direction away from the second flanged member to provide an entrant portion for the first panel into the space between the first and second flanged members; and
 6. spring members struck from the first flanged portion adjacent the inclined portion and extending angularly inwardly into the space between the first and second flanged members and in a direction towards the second flanged member and the body portion to prevent retraction movements between the first panel and clip once the first panel has cleared the spring fingers during movement into the space between the first and second flanged members.
 2. a first flanged member extending substantially perpendicularly from one edge of the body portion;
 2. A back up clip as claimed in claim 1 in which openings are provided in the body portion beyond the second flanged member for fastening the clip to the panel when positioned alongside the body portion with the edge abutting the second flanged member.
 3. a second flanged member struck-out from and extending continuously substantially perpendicularly from an intermediate portion of the flat body portion in the same direction as tHe first flanged member and in substantially parallel relation therewith, and spaced therefrom by an amount corresponding to the thickness of a first panel for receiving an edge portion of the first panel therebetween;
 4. said second flanged member terminating in a free edge, the dimension of said second flange member between said flat body portion and said free edge corresponding to the thickness of a second panel so that when a second panel is positioned parallel to and in abutting relation with the body member and with the edge of the second panel abutting the second flanged portion, the latter will be substantially concealed by the second panel while the edge of the second panel is in abutting relationship with the second flanged member substantially throughout its width;
 5. the first flanged member having its free outer edge portion inclined at a slight angle in the direction away from the second flanged member to provide an entrant portion for the first panel into the space between the first and second flanged members; and
 6. spring members struck from the first flanged portion adjacent the inclined portion and extending angularly inwardly into the space between the first and second flanged members and in a direction towards the second flanged member and the body portion to prevent retraction movements between the first panel and clip once the first panel has cleared the spring fingers during movement into the space between the first and second flanged members. 